The present invention relates to a brake system for a vehicle which utilizes a hydraulic boost mechanism as replacement for the more usual vacuum booster.
The present invention comprises: a brake system comprising: a plurality of hydraulic brake mechanisms, associated with each wheel of a vehicle; a master cylinder including primary and secondary chambers and a reservoir and a pressure boost device. The pressure boost device comprising: an accumulator and a pump connected the reservoir and to the accumulator. A motor is provided to selectively drive the pump as a function of system pressure. The pressure boost device is also connected to the primary and secondary chambers of the master cylinder for generating a boosted pressure at a fixed multiple of the pressure in either the primary or secondary master cylinder chambers. First and second isolation valves are provided to isolate the master cylinder from brake cylinders during normal brake operation and first and second proportional solenoid valves provide an antilock or adaptive braking mode of operation.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a brake system for a vehicle in which the brake pressure generated during normal brake operation is obtained by utilizing a pressure boost device or mechanism that is remotely situated from the master cylinder.